Wildfire in South Jersey's Wharton State Forest is now 90 contained

The Mines Spung Wildfire in Burlington County has burned 6,000 acres and is now 90% contained, according to firefighters. The blaze started near the Carranza Memorial in Wharton State Forest and has threatened five structures. Evacuations were ordered for Phillip M. Costello Preparatory Academy, but those have since been lifted. Currently, multiple roads in Shamong Township, including Bulldozer and Hampton roads, remain closed.

The Batona Trail, a 50-mile hiking path, is also closed between Carranza and Quaker Bridge roads. Firefighters are utilizing fire engines and bulldozers to combat the flames and plan to conduct an aerial observation as soon as weather conditions allow. The wildfire has significantly expanded since it was first spotted by a private aircraft, which reported the fire when it affected only 100 acres. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.